Date of Award

1983

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Abstract

This paper explores the foundational influence of Plato and Aristotle on the development of literary criticism, tracing how their contrasting philosophies have shaped Western literary theory through successive historical periods. Plato’s skepticism toward mimetic art and his emphasis on divine inspiration set the stage for a long tradition of Platonic influence, later adapted by thinkers such as Sir Philip Sidney, Wordsworth, and Shelley. These Neoplatonists reinterpret Plato’s ideas, often granting greater value to poetic imagination and emotional resonance.

In contrast, Aristotle’s systematic approach to poetics—centered on imitation, catharsis, and structured drama—formed the bedrock for classical and neoclassical criticism. His ideas permeated Roman literary thought via Horace and were revived during the English Restoration and Enlightenment by critics like Dryden and Pope, who emphasized decorum, unity, and poetic rules derived from nature and reason.

The paper then transitions to modern psychological criticism, examining how the unconscious influences the creative process. It highlights Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge as a precursor to psychoanalytic theory, with later critics like I.A. Richards, Freud, and Jung offering diverging views on the relationship between artist, imagination, and symbolic meaning. Jungian archetypes and Freudian drives become central to understanding character and narrative.

Finally, the study acknowledges contemporary movements like New Criticism and Imagism, which prioritize close reading and the internal structure of texts over authorial intent or historical context. Ezra Pound’s call for precision and imagery in poetic language exemplifies this shift.

Through its taxonomical framework, the paper presents a comprehensive timeline of critical thought, illustrating how enduring philosophical questions about truth, beauty, imitation, and emotion continue to inform literary analysis.

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